The use of finger biometric sensors for verifying fingerprints has become relatively well known in a variety of applications. For example, some electronic locking systems include finger biometric sensors for identifying and verifying authorized individuals. Likewise, some electronic devices incorporate finger biometric sensors that are used for verifying an authorized user. Such an electronic device may only permit access to authorized users, or may only permit full access to authorized users (allowing unauthorized users to have limited access).
Attempts at using the fingerprint verification capabilities of finger biometric sensors for other related applications have been made. For example, Omni Pass is a software application for a cellular telephone that stores a user's system password for access to the cellular telephone and automatically enters the password for the user based upon verification of the user's finger. In addition, Omni Pass may also store a user's login and password information for a given web site and automatically enter that information for the user based upon verification of the user's finger.
U.S. Pat. Pub. 2005/0169503 to Howell et al. discloses a method of performing a task based upon fingerprint verification. A user's fingerprint is read and compared with enrollment fingerprint images. If a match is found, a task associated with that finger is executed. The task may include launching a word processor, a web site, dialing a phone number, etc.
U.S. Pat. Pub. 2009/0177587 to Siegal et al. discloses a system for verifying a user for the purposes of accessing private financial information in an online environment. The system also facilitates the making of secure payments from an electronic wallet with biometric authentication. In particular, the system includes an electronic device having a finger biometric sensor and a biometric authentication server communicating therewith. The finger biometric sensor scans a user's finger and sends biometric information associated therewith to the biometric authentication server. The biometric authentication server then compares the biometric information from the finger with a biometric information stored in a biometric directory to find a match therebetween. If a match is found, the system facilitates making the secure payment from the electronic wallet.